Bangladeshi Man Admits to Manslaughter of Wife Fatally Stabbed While Pushing Baby in Pram

Habiboor Rahman Masum, a 26-year-old British-Bangladeshi man, has confessed to the fatal stabbing of his wife, Kulsuma Akter, 27, as she walked with their newborn baby in a pram. The horrific incident occurred on April 6, 2024, at the junction of Westgate and Drewton Road in Bradford.

Masum pleaded guilty on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Bradford Crown Court to two charges brought against him. His trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 9, 2025. Justice Cotter has remanded Masum in custody until the trial commences.

During the hearing, Masum was assisted by a Bengali interpreter. He had previously denied two charges of assault, making threats to kill, and stalking.

The stalking charge alleges that Masum tracked Ms. Akter's movements between November and April. This included locating her at a safe house, sending her abusive messages, including death threats, and sharing photos and videos of the area where she was residing. He was also accused of loitering near her temporary accommodation, which caused Ms. Akter significant emotional distress and fear of potential violence.

Ms. Akter was rushed to the hospital after being repeatedly stabbed at the junction of Westgate and Drewton Road but later succumbed to her injuries. Police confirmed that the infant was unharmed during the attack.

Habiboor Rahman Masum's ancestral home is in Bishwanath Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh. According to police and the victim's family, Masum and Ms. Akter arrived in the UK from Bishwanath, Sylhet, two years ago. Masum came on a student visa, and his wife, Ms. Akter Shiuly accompanied him as a dependent. The couple initially resided in Oldham.

Their domestic disputes escalated, eventually involving the police. Authorities then arranged for Ms. Akter to be moved to a safe location in Bradford through social services, away from their shared residence. However, Masum reportedly disregarded police instructions and began monitoring Ms. Akter's movements. On the day of the incident, before Iftar, Ms. Akter had gone out to buy food with her infant son when Masum, who had been lying in wait, attacked her with a sharp knife.